Venus Williamsbeat Canadian teenager Eugenie Bouchard, 6-3, 6-7 (4), 6-3, on Thursday to advance to the Pan Pacific Open semifinals in Tokyo for the first time.

Williams, whose previous best in Tokyo was the quarterfinals in 2004, broke Bouchard with a forehand down the line to go up 5-2 in the third set and held on to win the match that lasted three hours at Ariake Colosseum.